Still Crossed
by Tedd.E.Bare
Summary: The Evans and Potter clans have been butting heads for more than a generation. After the tragic deaths of their cousins, Lily and James find themselves blackmailed into a marriage to save themselves, their families and their way of life. Set in 1990's Ireland, amidst the fractious political scene of the time. All-muggle AU inspired by the TV show Still Star Crossed.
1. Where We Lay Our Scene

Welcome to Still-Crossed; an all-muggle Jily au based on the new TV show Still-Star Crossed. I am a bit of a romantic trash can and so please enjoy my ramblings. Feedback is loved and treasured (even flames), so please review after reading.

* * *

All characters belong to their respective original creators and any real life events/persons are only referenced in order to cement the events of this fictional story into the real world.

Great poets like to draw comparisons between hate and love. Some write that there is a fine line between them; others compare the two to warring ice and fire.

Lily calls the whole thing a sham. She knows about love and hate, and knows that there is no comparing- and no overlapping the two.

0-0-0-0

She was only eleven when her parents were cruelly gunned down- in the street in broad daylight no less- by some Potter goon. The IRA back then divided their people like an unstoppable and unholy Moses, without a care towards the ones who were hurt the worst.

It was impossible to remember what started the fight in the first place. Perhaps an offshoot of the Evans clan had taken some Potter sheep, or the Potter's blacksmith had insulted an Evans' mother. All Lily knew was that the Evans and Potter families had been at odds for three generations, and with the civil unrest in the region, the spark had fanned itself into an inferno.

In the space of three weeks nine people had been killed, and in a tragic set of completely avoidable circumstances – the teenage, only-children of Farnley Evans and Cadeus Potter overdosed together. The coroner had shrugged when questioned by police and the families, citing that the plethora of drugs in their systems, combined with how their bodies were found suggested a joint suicide and the death of one was not the fault of the other.

0-0-0-0

Lily had grown to despise the name Potter when she was but a child – so to see the pictures of her fourteen year old cousin and her purported boyfriend for herself sent her into a stupor. Marlene was still a kid, how could she have been in love? How could she have loved Sirius _Potter_?

She remembered the boy from school, remembered having him pointed out to her by her elder sister, combined with a disgusted hiss,

" _That's the Potter boy. His family are the reason our parents were killed. If I could get away with shanking him right here I would."_

Petunia was never known for subtlety, and when she was seventeen she did herself the great favour of marrying Vernon Dursley, the nephew of the chief of police and giving him a son a year later.

0-0-0-0

Uncle Farnley was ever so grateful for Petunia for that little sacrifice. Petunia marrying to someone well connected meant _he_ was then better connected to the powerful ones around him, which only served to strengthen his own plans.

A wayward teenage daughter in love with his nemesis' son who then joined him in death only put a slight hindrance to those plans.

Marlene had been an adorable child, but with far too much of her mother's stubbornness in her. That fiery temper too, most certainly _did not_ come from the Evans' side.

Thinking of his dead child only brought grief to Farnley, so he pushed aside the ache in his chest and instead turned his focus to the quiet red-headed young woman trying to appear invisible as she sat opposite him.

0-0-0-0

Cadeus Potter despised churches. Not the Church, just the buildings that hosted them. A grandiose and repugnant sight in order to celebrate the works of the most humble Man. Even though he could not bear the cathedrals, he did concede that the chapel being built by the Evans clan was a beauty. If only the bastard funding it would actually finish the job.

He'd sent his good-for-nearly-nothing nephew in to find out why construction had stopped, perhaps the union had stepped in, or the Queen. He hadn't actually expected James to find anything of use, but given three hours, the boy had indeed uncovered news of the Evans being not nearly as solvent as they had always appeared to be.

A rare grin flashed across his face, announcing that James' _reward_ would be to accompany him to a city meeting. Cadeus' glee was kept mostly internal, for not only had James risen to the challenge, but also had been pulled out of his mounting grief by being put to work.

A moping Nephew grieving the loss of his younger cousin, and his best friends was never a good look for a family as strong as his. Cadeus was determined to see James, now the heir to the family, did not disgrace their name.

0-0-0-0

Lily tried her best to not squirm as the curling iron did its best to sear her scalp.

"Stay _still,_ " Her aunt demanded, "you'll crease the dress if you don't stop fidgeting."

"Why must I go to the city meeting at all? Surely Uncle Farnley and you would rather have me stay at home and keep me out of the way whilst you attend something so important?"

"You're a part of the family Lily," Aunt Gina replied calmly, "with Marl-," she paused, unable to say the name of her only daughter, "with everything that's happened lately, your uncle and I have agreed that you are the best person to trust with our family moving forward. Tonight's meeting is all about demonstrating strength, and uniting behind the family name."

Lily could do nothing but nod, and allow her aunt to continue prettying her up. She felt like an unsuspecting lamb heading to slaughter, but couldn't quite put her finger on why the feeling was unshakeable.

She soon figured out why.

 _Lamb for the slaughter_ had been an understatement.

0-0-0-0

James was cold. He felt shivers running up and down his back as he waited in the antechamber with his Uncle for the meeting to officially begin. He couldn't pinpoint why, but the way Uncle Cadeus all but demanded his presence there put him on edge.

In response to another shiver, James decisively moved to the wood fire further in the room, several feet behind his uncle. The move warranted naught but a glance from the older man, who checked his watched and suppressed a deep sigh. James warmed his back, keeping the door within sight, but realised with some disappointment that the fire did not quell his shivers.

0-0-0-0

Mayor Escalus was considered by all to be a man to be feared. Rumours abounded of his involvement with bomb threats, counter terrorist activities, house raids, and even torture. Of course nothing ever stuck, but the rumours themselves became legends, and thus The Man himself was borne.

He was endlessly frustrated with the local clans warring with each other over petty misdemeanours that happened eons past. He was even more annoyed with the building levels of civil unrest in the region. However the thing that annoyed him the most was two of the regions oldest family clans, both not innocent of wrong doing, and both quite happy to place the entirety of the blame on the other.

No, after the Sirius Potter and Marlene Evans debacle, he decided that enough was quite enough. He'd read all about the War of the Roses, how the Yorks and Lancaster's fought for a throne, a war that destroyed innumerable lives and ended with a marriage and a child who succeeded both families.

He had first pinned his hopes of Sirius and Marlene. Although only teenagers, they were both malleable and at the age where they started looking toward the opposite gender, and Escalus meant for them to look at each other.

Of course even the best laid plans could turn on a dime, and Escalus blamed one man for the ruination of his plan for clan peace. Severus Snape. As his former junior protégé Snape was instrumental in getting Marlene and Sirius to even look at each other, and also manage to somehow get them together in the first place, even though Sirius couldn't stand Snape.

Unfortunately trusting Snape was also the downfall of his grand plan, as the boy was increasingly in the wrong crowd at school, and was ultimately the one who supplied the young couple with the pharmacy of drugs that they would then use to take their own lives.

Snape was better left hidden in the low-rent slum apartments in the middle of London, where Escalus had paid for him to keep low and out of the way for the rest of his miserable, greasy life.

0-0-0-0

Lily was furious, with every syllable that was uttered by every adult in the room she grew more and more disgusted at them all. _How dare they?_ She might be many things, but an idiot was not one of them. And following the directive they had set for her was pure idiocy.

An arranged marriage; something so medieval and archaic and _horrible_ and these grand men she had known her entire life wanted to bring back the grand old tradition in the hopes that their desire to knife each other might lessen. Lily felt her initial reaction was justified, which was to storm dramatically from the room and slam the door with as much might as she could muster. Mayor Escalus was the first to trail her, followed closely by her aunt and uncle and his goons.

She couldn't get anywhere, each door she tried was locked, and the steps were blocked by a line of burly security guards whose mere presence promised a show if they dared cause a scene. Cornered she turned to sneer as those powerful people who planned to decide her future.

"You've got to be kidding yourselves if you think I'm going to be duped into agreeing to this." She spat, "This is beyond madness, trying to pair up a Potter and an Evans and expecting it to end in anything but more bloodshed. You've all lost you damn minds."

A quiet voice piped up from the back of the assembled troops, made up of men and women who were only united in one thing, "She's got a point, and I can't believe I'm saying it, but I agree with her."

0-0-0-0

James wished the world had not lent itself to that very moment, but also found himself unable to wish his words unsaid. The Evans girl spoke nothing but truth, as she stood with security guards behind her, and a throng of respected elders and community leaders in front of her. James couldn't actually see her properly, but could catch a glimpse here and there as the crowd in front of him shuffled.

He would take a lot of convincing to admit it aloud, but he was drawn to the fiery red head. He remembered her from their high school days, although wisely kept in separate classes, there was no avoiding the Evans girls and he would never forget the day her older sister all but started a war on the school oval with Remus, an eventful lunch time that got all the senior students put on probation for the rest of the school term. He had been in the middle years of high school then, looking up to the elder teenagers and their unwavering dedication to continuing the feud from years long past.

Lily Evans had always seemed to simultaneously stand out and fall unnoticed into the background. James can't remember her ever causing a battle ground in high school, but at that very moment, facing all those who would force her against her will; she looked like Queen Boudicca, ready and willing to die fighting.

A few people had turned when he spoke, and none of the facial expressions were particularly kind. His Uncle Cadeus had spun around with his face becoming a concerning shade of puce. Mayor Escalus too, was unyieldingly stern, as though he were a naughty school boy in detention and not an adult.

"You all fail to recognise the fragility of our region," the Mayor hissed, the assembled crowd falling silent, "Your non-stop, petty disagreements with the other clan have meant that the city's crime rates are through the roof, two children are _dead_ and we have extremists knocking on our doorsteps just waiting to sneak in and destabilise our entire way of life. Sirius and Marlene might be gone, but they demonstrated that the next generation could be your only saving grace."

Lily looked to her aunt in confusion, then to her uncle and the assembled men and women behind them.

"You don't need to coerce me into a marriage that I don't want to maintain peace." She spat back.

"You foolish child," he interjected, "This clan feud has gone on for three generations and single-handedly led to over eighty deaths in ten years because you lot can't seem to let it go."

"You cannot make me marry." was her only response.

0-0-0-0

As it turns out, Mayor Escalus was not above blackmail, and Lord Potter and Lord Evans caught a glimpse of The Man that myth dictated could do anything.

For James, his coercion was easy, pull a couple of school records and cross reference his truant days with unsolved police reports of break-ins and robberies. He sent a short missive via an assistant to the Potter boy, and got a short scrawl in reply with acquiescence.

Lily however was more difficult to pinpoint a weakness for. A spotless school record with no truancies, no criminal record and was gainfully employed in a small tea shop working for the dotty cat lady who always smelt of mint. No boyfriend _or girlfriend_ to speak of, and one sister she wasn't particularly close to.

Escalus had originally considered threatening the sister and her baby – but soon uncovered that going that far would be unnecessary. A medical record from her childhood revealed that Lily had a severe peanut allergy. He took a little bit more liberty with his second call of business, lacing his next note with more than just a written warning.

0-0-0-0

Lord Farnley Evans had never thought just how far the Mayor would go to achieve his aims, and was glad for Lily's insistence on carrying her Epi-pen wherever she went. He paced outside the hospital's emergency ward as he awaited news of her health, his wife by Lily's bedside. The peanut laced note was scrunched in his fist as he walked, and silently despaired over what he was willingly letting his niece get into.

Two days after the Peanut Incident, Lily found herself sitting in the waiting room outside the council chambers. Exhausted beyond all belief and not entirely recovered from the anaphylaxis, she knew she had been cornered and that she had unequivocally lost that battle. Escalus Riddle was so desperate for a willing clan treaty he was willing to kill her for it.

The receptionist had given her a once-over when she came in, but otherwise left her alone to wait for the appointment. Her uncle was already in a meeting with the Mayor, and reportedly with Lord Potter too.

That report seemed to chime true, more so when James Potter sauntered in through the door and was told to take a seat as well.

"You look a little bit closer to death than last I saw you." He commented airily, "Dare I ask why?"

Lily hazarded a look at the receptionist, busy typing and not even focussing on the two of them. She then glanced around looking for security cameras, letting her eyes slide over the one that likely featured them both on screen. She slowly turned her face away from the camera, as naturally as possible before mumbling a reply.

"Mayor Riddle decided to show us who's boss."

James' eyes flashed to her in concern before the meeting room door burst open, revealing the group of men within.

Lord Potter and Lord Evans were flanked by three of their best guards, and Mayor Escalus seated at the head of the table flanked by his own goons.

Lily tried to stop the visceral reaction she had at the sight of them, but her throat decided to mimic its earlier reaction and she choked out a hoarse coughing fit. Lord Evans moved quickly to his niece, and James kept his bulk of his gaze on the men still within, his own Uncle looking on in mild interest and the Mayor with a one-sided smirk. He heard her clear her throat and straighten, though James could tell that the ferocious spark he witnessed the few days prior had been subdued.

James wondered what Mayor Escalus had to threaten her with to get her to agree.

0-0-0-0

They sat opposite each other, facing one another like equals, both feeling unequal to the task they had been forced into.

 _Marriage._

One of society's last great rites of passage and the two of them were being sold into it just to appease the masses.

Escalus Riddle made it inescapably clear that the two families would immediately call a ceasefire and redirect their efforts to rebuilding infrastructure damaged by suspect IRA members whilst the general public would come to see Lily and James' union as the catalyst for the change. Escalus knew that if either of the two families got control over the other, they would have the power to take down his leadership, a risk he was not willing to take, not in sacrifice of a sizable retirement pension and a guaranteed living in the county of his choosing after he retired from politics.

The two of them weren't even nineteen yet, but Escalus was certain that the two remaining single children from both families could coexist peaceably – and put an end to the ridiculous aspirations their respective uncles held.

0-0-0-0

Both families came to agree that a public engagement party would be appropriate, held in the city hall, where many a country dance had passed in the decades before. It was to be followed by the wedding but a month later in the near completed chapel funded by the Evans. It was as short a timeframe as possible whilst allowing everyone involved to get the legalities ironed out.

James and Lily grew evermore resigned to their fate – and evermore impatient with the sight of the other. Escalus and his office assistant had given them a schedule of public appearances that he expected them to comply with, a series of dates to make them more viable as a couple.

During one such date, at a milkshake and burger joint, Lily stopped with her burger halfway to her mouth before dropping it back to the plate, her look of horror deepening as she stared at the man she was to marry.

"He's planning on a pregnancy rumour." She had whispered.

"What?" James had a mouthful of burger and wasn't sure he had heard her properly

"He's expecting that us being in public now will cause a few rumours, but when he marries us off in a month's time, people won't be pointing the finger at our uncles, or some elaborate scheme to ward off a bunch of extremists. They'll be pointing the finger at you and me and the expectation that we got married so quickly because you knocked me up."

"I'm not knocking you up."

"Good, I don't want you getting me pregnant and it's off the table anyways."

0-0-0-0

They bicker for the next two weeks until their engagement party, when their Lord Uncles get up to outdo each other in their toasts, before bowing out to their mayor who thinly veils his warnings to them both in a beatific speech laced with a subtle layer of steel.

They find each other's hand in that moment, surrounded by family, friends and enemies. As Escalus goes on about starting afresh, and how the wrongs of the past may stay in the past as long as the two of them promote their own healthiness and happiness for the benefit of the other.

Lily grips the fingers holding hers tightly once he mentions _healthiness_ , and as Escalus meets their eyes, he knows that they understand him completely, and that he has _won_ this round.

James is immediately frightened when the small hand in his grips firmly mid-speech. He had an inkling of what Riddle had done to her to get her to agree, based on what he saw in the waiting room those few weeks earlier. The content of the Mayor's speech only confirmed what he had suspected.

Then the bomb went off.


	2. From Ancient Grudge

Chapter two of Still Crossed. Please leave feedback by reviewing below. Mostly unedited stream of thought, so let me know if there are any mistakes you pick up on.

* * *

Lily remembered finding James' hand amidst the thinly veiled threats of the Mayor's speech, and she remembered tightening her grip as she realised she – and her fiancé – had been backed quite firmly into a corner.

The next thing she remembered was the deep, booming sound of the walls perilously beginning to crack under the concussive wave that swept through them, before the actual bomb had hit milliseconds later.

James' hand in hers tightened impossibly further over hers, and she curled into him as the other party-goers started to scream.

0-0-0-0

James half tackles her to the floor, behind the rows of chairs and tables that people were crowded around mere moments before. Mayor Escalus' bodyguards scream as they huddle around their man to evacuate him, leaving the rest of the people to fend for themselves. Potter loyalists help James' Uncle out, and the Evans family scramble out a second exit; both shielding their respective Lords from any potential attack from the other, an attack that would never come as they both fled the carnage. Both families leave their presumptive heirs behind.

A fire breaks out as wooden beams catch alight from the explosives, and Lily can feel the heat from where she is ensconced in James' arms. He squints to see through the haze of dust, debris and smoke, and the moment he spots a clear way out, he's half dragging her with him. when they get out into the clear air, they're both coughing and gasping, and Lily notices a patch of red on James' arm, a gash that's bleeding profusely and he hasn't yet noticed his wound.

"You're bleeding," she gasps between coughs, "we've got to get you patched up."

James is looking at her face but he's not meeting her eye, instead he's looking at a spot above her eyebrows, and when she feels a heavy trickle, and his eyes go wide, does she realise that she too is hurt.

"Right back at you, Ginger. That gash might need stitches."

0-0-0-0

They manage to drag themselves to the nearby church, going the opposite way to the emergency crews rushing to attend the scene. Friar Lawrence meets them inside, his hands full of songbooks, which he promptly drops to a nearby pew before making them both sit as he hurried off to grab a first aid kit.

His return is accompanied by Deacon John, both men quickly busying themselves to their patients. As he's applying a medi-strip to Lily's face, Friar Lawrence mentions off-handed that he had met her cousin Marlene during a mass at the school, just as he'd met James' cousin, Sirius too.

"You couldn't find a more comedic duo than those two," he remarked quietly as he wiped away antiseptic liquid before it slipped down to her chin, "could never tell if they was destined to bicker for their days, or if that relationship of theirs would last to be told through the ages. It was a real tragedy what happened to them."

James and Lily traded a look at that, and both were quietly aware that in that moment they were still holding hands. If the Friar and Deacon noticed anything, they kept quiet, and finished tending to their patients.

"I'll ring both your families from my office to let them know your safe," Friar Lawrence boomed as he packed up his supplies, "I imagine now the initial shock has worn off they're worried for you. Best that you stay here until I come back; tensions will only rise on the streets after what happened."

The couple traded a less happy look at that, and James rubbed his thumb over the knuckles of Lily's hand while they waited for the Friar to return.

0-0-0-0

From their position, seated on the pack pew of the church, they could hear the sirens, and shouts coming from the scene the next block over. They were jokingly trading theories as they sat, the adrenaline blocking out the pain.

"IRA? My money is on some elaborate scheme set up by billionaire trying to buy us all out so he can make a golf course."

James snorted in reply before offering his next theory, "Definitely the Americans trying to worm their way back to the Mother Land via us. Potato famine not-withstanding, they're desperate to come home."

Lily laughed at that one, their theories for the perpetrators getting more and more ludicrous with each trade off.

"Aliens."

"Kangaroo take-over."

"The Swedish."

"Cows."

"Sesame Street Muppets."

0-0-0-0

It felt longer than the ten minutes it had been, but when the Friar returned, he informed them both that their families had been reached, and would expect them home within the hour.

They planned to get a taxi to their homes, but upon leaving the church, a heavy police presence prevented them from making any real headway. Walking north, they got two blocks before they came face to face with a wall of armed officers with riot shields out in force – despite there only being the two of them in the street.

"We don't want to fight," James called out to them when they were but a few feet away from the shields, "it was our engagement party that got bombed, we just want to get home safely."

A gruff voice from the back replied, "Both those damn families are still at the hall causing yet another _bloody_ fight. Why should we let you through?"

Lily looked over from where she had been staring absent-mindedly, "Chief Grunning, is that you?"

A grunt in affirmation from the police chief.

"Chief Grunning, it's me, Lily, I'm Vernon's sister-in-law. Please let us pass. We managed to escape the hall after the bomb went off, and Friar Lawrence patched us up at the church. We have no idea what's going on back at the hall."

"Was Tuney or Vernon there?"

"No, Dudley has the measles so they stayed home today; I was going to see them tomorrow."

Lily and James could almost hear the older man sigh behind his well-trained men.

"Let 'em through fellas, after all they're the only reason our city isn't descending into anarchy yet this week."

The wall of heavily armed police parts like the Biblical Red Sea and they come face to face with the grizzly features of Vernon Dursley's uncle, a mean as ferocious as he was respected. There was a reason Farnley Evans encouraged his eldest niece to align herself with his nephew. The chief took stock of the young couple in front of him, quickly observing their injuries, and the quick patch job done by the Friar, and interestingly their still-joined hands. Chief Grunning never missed anything, and knew that the union between the two of them was little more than a farce concocted by the Mayor, but the joined hands gave him some pause.

"Get yer'selves back home. Taxis will be down, but from here on out the bulk of the streets are shut down. I'll radio ahead so the next lot will expect you to pass. Stay on the main roads, and try to avoid any more public spectacles."

The two nodded at the Chief and headed off.

0-0-0-0

"You live in the opposite direction Potter, what are you doing?"

"Can't a man walk his _beloved_ home?"

A scoff, "Can't a man remember he's being blackmailed into a marriage to a woman who has also been threatened into it in return?"

"I've been meaning to ask about that actually," James segued into a topic he'd been trying to figure out how to get to for some time, "He's got a bit of dirt on me from my school years and my decidedly reckless formative teenage self, but what did he do to you?"

"Mayor Escalus apparently got a hold of my medical record." Lily paused and licked her lips, "I'm allergic to peanuts, and he sent me a letter detailing what he wanted me to comply with, and it was laced with peanut dust. I spent a night in hospital drugged up on antihistamines. After that Uncle Farnley told me to do whatever it took to keep my heart beating. Complying with Escalus' demands became a life-preserving choice. Marrying _you_ has become a life-preserving choice; I can't believe I'm admitting it, but out of all the Potters I could be possibly be shackled to, I'm glad it's you."

James' face changed to a full grin, "Well if I'm to be manacled in marriage to an Evans, I'm glad it's you too."

Lily's eyes crinkled as she smiled.

"Even if you are a Ginger Harpy from the depths of Grecian legends sent to torture me."

He quickly found his uninjured arm subject to a punch.

"Geez Evans, take pity on your fiancé, I'm injured."

"I'll give _you_ an injury in a minute."

"You wound me, Love."

"I _will_ if you keep calling me endearments."

"Okay … Babe."

0-0-0-0

As the fallout from the bomb continued, both the Evans and Potters pushed the blame on the other, with Mayor Escalus growing ever more tired with their petty squabbling. They never managed to pinpoint who was responsible, though the tabloids published the fault as belonging to a fractious group that had splintered from their main cause. Escalus Riddle was determined that the wedding proceed as planned, although his bomb scare hadn't united the families as he had hoped; their old squabble causing them to revert to their old habits.

Lily was tired of pins, especially ones that were _supposed_ to be joining fabric pieces together and definitely _not_ sinking into her skin, especially under her armpit.  
"Ouch!"

"Well stop wriggling like a spring chicken and _keep still._ " Came her Aunts bemused response from the love seat, "your wedding is in four days, and it's the last fitting before you have to officially wear it. I'll hold onto it after your wedding so it can be refashioned into what comes next."

"What, what comes next?"

Her Aunt's tittering laugh was all she could hear, the seamstress requiring her at that very moment to keep looking up and straight ahead lest she pin something wrong. It was a laugh she hadn't heard out of her Aunt since before Marlene died.

"My dear girl, don't you remember that childhood nursery rhyme? First comes _love_ , though we know better in this instance- then comes _marriage_ followed by _babies in a baby carriage_. It's tradition for the head Ladies of the families to turn a woman's wedding gown into a christening gown for her future little ones."

Lily could feel her eyes bugging, and swivelled towards her aunt before being yanked back into position. Wisely, Lily decided to keep her mouth shut.

"After all," her aunt continued as though Lily had given no reaction, "the Potter's probably expect you to cry off tomorrow and that would give them such pleasure to see us brought low. What they don't expect us Evans women to do is _persevere._ When I married your uncle we knew we had an uphill battle to face. Death threats and stabbings, bombs going off every few weeks; this city was a war zone. Oddly enough once the families started having babies, it stopped. Death threats continued to pour in, but they were just threats. The young families were off limits – even the common rabble have a code of honour."

Lily finally noticed that the seamstress had made herself absent, and her aunt was standing beside her, looking at their joined reflections in the mirror.

"I can't force you into a happy marriage Lily. James is probably the easiest Potter offshoot to bear for someone your age and temperament, but you have to at least try to make it work. It's the same as I told your sister, sometimes your life, your dreams and wishes have to play second fiddle to something a smidge more noble."

Lily scoffed, "you mean the _clan_?"

"If I meant the family, I would have said so," her Aunt replied sharply, "No, I mean the community you will find yourself living in for the greater portion of your life. Our city has survived this long-lasting feud between Evans and Potter, it's seen real war and civil conflict and terror uprisings and religious persecution from all sides. No one is innocent here. There's not a single family name that isn't some way aligned with either the feud between our families or some other conflict within the city. The last generation of kids are all but grown up, after what – " her aunt had to pause, "after what Marley and the Potter boy did to themselves, this city is without the young kids that it took to maintain the peace. I'm not telling you to shack up with James Potter out of genuine affection if you don't yet feel it, I'm telling you to pop out a couple of babies to keep your family and city alive."

A quick kiss to her cheek and her Aunt excused herself from the room, leaving Lily standing on the block, in a nearly finished wedding dress, staring at her reflection in a state on confusion.

0-0-0-0

James was nervous, not 'pre-exam' nervous, but full-blown, panic stations, meltdown-mode nervous.

He was getting married in the morning. Ten hours and forty-five minutes to be precise. He couldn't sleep, so he paced, but then got bored with pacing so he sat and read. He made it to page twelve before throwing the book down impatiently as he looked about the room for something to occupy his mind. The living room of his Uncle's home could rival that of a royal castle, but instead of corgis, a pair of quiet Irish Wolfhounds watched him pace with calm measured gazes. The two dogs had been a source of Potter pride since they were pups, and were considered the best breeding pair in the region. Their tails began to wag as their master entered the room silently, surprising James when he turned to pace another lap.

"Uncle," he nodded cordially, "got your tux ready?"

His Uncle Cadeus harrumphed and went to the drink cabinet, pouring out two snifters of brandy, before pressing one of the glasses into his nephew's trembling hands.

"Drink." He instructed the nineteen year old, "This time tomorrow you'll be married to that Evans girl. I remember the night before I got married, they had to post a guard to make sure I didn't sod off into the wilderness."

"But you love Aunt Bonny, why were you scared?"

"Because I was about to make a lifetime commitment that I realised I wasn't entirely ready for. So in the same spirit that your grandfather helped me, I'm here to do the same for you."

James let out a puff of air he hadn't realised he'd been holding, and sat in one of the well worn leather recliners opposite his uncle.

"There are all sorts of nonsense that people will spout, about how to make a happy marriage, or a successful one, or both. Unfortunately our way of life is so entrenched in its clan history that you're heading into this _arranged_ one with some pretty significant prejudices, just as your fiancé is. The Mayor has managed to pull a fairly impressive stunt with this whole wedding, and it speaks volumes into what that man is capable of. Escalus has always been a man to respect, but this time he's showing that he's also a man to be feared. Which reminds me, how did he manage to get you to agree?"

James shifted in his seat before replying, "He connected my truancy record with some of the stupid stuff us guys got up to when we were in school. It was all juvenile crap that Remus and Sirius thought up, we never got caught, but Escalus made it quite clear that it was a wedding or jail time. It was pretty easy after that to say yes."

"What's he got on your girl then? I can't imagine her getting up to anything untoward. Her elder sister was a damn harpy, but I remember Lily being the quietest kid out of all you lot."

"He gave her an anaphylactic reaction which put her in hospital. Remember that day when you asked me to meet you at the Mayor's office? She looked like death, and that's not too far from the truth. She has a peanut allergy and he almost killed her for whatever he's got planned."

Cadeus sighed, staring into the flickering fire and took a sip of his drink. "Well he's getting what he wanted. Have you and Evans figured out how you're going to get along?"

"We've talked a bit, we found a place in town to rent; it's got enough space for an art studio which is lucky. We'll go from there I guess."

"Do you want some advice on making a decent start to your marriage?"

James shrugged and nodded simultaneously, knowing he was getting the advice on offer whether he acquiesced or not.

"Get yourselves into a routine, have breakfast and dinner together, even if you've argued. You've always been an affectionate kid, let her see that. She'll become a Potter, despite her family ties and history – given what Regulus did to her parents – she's about to be your _wife_. If you don't treat her well now you'll pay for it the rest of you married life. You really do reap what you sow. And speaking of sowing – it would be in both of your best interests to get her pregnant as quickly as possible."

James, mid-sip of his brandy choked.

"Wh-what?!"

Cadeus nodded sagely, "Surely you're not stupid James, she's not an ugly girl, and you're both young and fit. A couple of kids would cement yourselves in the world, and make your life a little bit more joyful."

James let his head fall back, "I can't tell if you're actually advising me to shag Lily Evans or if you're joking. Having kids means there's extra pawns for Escalus to manoeuvre, and little people for you and Aunt Bonny to spoil in revenge for all the crazy stuff us guys got up to as kids."

Cadeus harrumphed a laugh, "Don't worry about the Mayor now, he's pretty satisfied that he's gotten our families into the same corner with the two of you leading the way. As for spoiling my current-hypothetical great nephews and nieces, you are absolutely correct. Your Aunt hasn't had much to enjoy since we lost Sirius, and I'm sure babysitting some babies would bring back that sparkle."

"Couldn't you just keep the next batch of puppies?"

0-0-0-0

Please review!


	3. Both Alike in Dignity

Chapter Three of Still Crossed.

' _This looks not like a nuptial_ ' - Benedick of Padua (MAAN)

I am fuming because I found out today that S.S.C. has been cancelled and although they will complete the season airing, they won't extend it further. MAD AS HECK. Anywho, enjoy the third instalment of Still Crossed that comes in at over 3,500 words; and please leave a review below!

Dedicated as always to Petals, who I did send the prompt through to first, but decided that writing a story was more important than writing my students' reports...

* * *

The morning of their wedding brought a decidedly clear and bright day that promised warmth and sunshine. Lily felt as though a storm would have been more appropriate, but she could little control the weather than she could escape the choice she had made to acquiesce to the marriage itself. She awoke to the beams of sunlight that her bedroom curtains did not quite filter out, and inwardly cursed the oncoming day.

She rubbed her forehead and winced as she brushed the still-healing cut on her hairline. She was fortunate that the cut from the engagement party was not deep and had required little extra attention than the Friar's initial clean-up. Her aunt assured her that makeup would carry away any sign of it being there. Lily hoped that the makeup artist was as good as her aunt said, for she had to deal with not only the ceremony, but the long reception afterwards, where she would invariably have to participate in clan dances, showing off fancy footwork from years of dance.

The run sheet for their reception included at least an hour of dancing, no doubt to accommodate the dance off between their families; it also had to make way for their first dance as a married couple. Both Lily and James had spent a few afternoons in the weeks before choreographing and practicing a dance that they felt blended their families' favoured dances. It was meant to be their symbol of uniting both clans, but it was really just another of Mayor Escalus' demands for the farce he was orchestrating.

With a heavy and slow sigh, Lily pushed her blankets off, and swung her feet out of bed, letting her eyes fall on the white gown hanging on the back of her bedroom door.

0-0-0-0

James had spent the night before his wedding tossing and turning, trying to reconcile himself to the fact that he was getting married in the morning, joined to a woman who quite possibly hated his guts and whose family would happily see him and his kin buried six-feet below. The brandy his uncle had given him had only given his restlessness a softer edge, and as he showered, he let the hot water spray his face, hoping the beginnings of the headache he felt did not brew into a migraine.

As he dressed in his tuxedo, his nerves seemed to increase, and when his uncle came to see how he was, James had gotten as far as his cufflinks before needing to sit down and rest his head in his hands.

"Cheer up Jimmy," Came his Uncle's gruff demand, "today's your wedding day, not your funeral. Chin up and cheer up boy, today your job is to convince everyone outside our immediate families that you're hopelessly in love with the Evans girl so that not a single bit of idle chatter gets around that this marriage is anything but sincere."

James could do nothing but nod to his uncle's command, and rubbed his face with both hands and slowly stood up, grateful that his shower had curbed his headache.

Lord Cadeus took pity on his nephew, and picked up the black coat to assist him into it. James twisted into it, and tied his bowtie before buttoning the jacket. Cadeus swept some non-existent lint from James' shoulders, clapped him firmly on the back and ushered him from his bedroom.

0-0-0-0

With her arm on her Uncle Farnley's, Lily waited nervously outside the door to the chapel her family had spent a decade building, and spent even more money on that was wise. Mayor Escalus had quietly pitched in the remaining necessary funds to complete the work, and the result was a building even Lord Cadeus Potter could find little fault in. Petunia stood a few feet in front of her, in a lacy, peach dress that accentuated her fair skin. Dudley Dursley was snuggled up into his mother's shoulder, and as chubby as he was, was quite done up in a toddler version of a suit, and was given the serious task of being the page boy.

A few neighbourhood children were the little bridesmaids, and giddily waited in line behind Petunia and would occasionally look back in awe at the bride who was bespoke in the most beautiful dress they had ever seen.

As the music inside began, the door was opened to them, and soon Lily and her Uncle were waiting for their cue.

Her uncle turned to her, a small amount of regret in his eyes as he regarded his niece. Kissing her cheek, he lifted the veil from behind her hairstyle and over her face.

"I know today will be hard," he murmured to her, "but you will always have us and our support. As long as he treats you well, he'll have our protection too."

Lily swallowed heavily and took her uncle's arm, and stepped forward into the chapel.

0-0-0-0

"I, James Fleming Potter do solemnly swear to bind myself in Holy matrimony to Lily Rose Evans. In sickness and health, for richer or poorer, in joy and sorrow, and for better or worse, for all the days of my life until death do we part. This I vow in front of God and all the witnesses attending here today."

"I, Lily Rose Evans, do solemnly swear to bind myself in Holy matrimony to James Fleming Potter. In sickness and health, for richer or poorer, in joy and sorrow, and for better or for worse; for all the days of my life until death do we part. This I vow in front of God and all the witnesses attending here today."

An exchange of rings, and a shared communion and all that remained for them to do was to seal their marriage with a kiss.

Both hands were slick with sweat, both nineteen year olds feeling like children playing dress-ups in a game. The reality was that it was a game, but they were not playing dress-ups. The vows, the rings, the clothing, the lead up had all been real, but the penny hadn't truly dropped wasn't until they stood face to face, rings on their fingers and all that was left was for them to lock lips. They squared off, looking at each other's eyes, desperate for a sign from the other that this had all been a poorly conceived dream.

A tiny cough from Friar Laurence brought them back to reality and without a glance to their large audience; they simultaneously leant forward and pressed their lips to each other as their families erupted in applause.

0-0-0-0

The photographer was grating on Lily's nerves.

The first hour of photographs had been reasonable, but as they neared the _third_ hour, Lily was ready to call it quits and demand a nap. She felt that as the bride she ought to get some say in how the day went. Unfortunately with two rival clans, the length of time needed to do family photographs was warranted, but Lily's heeled feet disagreed. Other photographs were the couple posing with their families on either side, with the Mayor standing triumphant in between them. The Master Spider, The Man delivering the results of his political aspirations.

Eventually the families meandered off to prepare for the reception and Lily was finally able to sit on the park bench and wiped away a couple of tears that weren't entirely caused by the slight breeze.

James sat next to her, feeling as exhausted as she, and leant his head back to the backrest, and tried to not let his expression turn to one of grief. He was surprised when Lily's hand sought his out and entwined their fingers together. Her head twisted and she let it fall on the shoulder of her _husband_ and tried to block out all the things she was thinking. James let his head fall on top of hers and for a few minutes they just existed. Husband and wife, sitting on a bench in a beautiful park, only just realising just how much of a pawn they had become in someone else's twisted game.

Lily felt the need to break the silence, and promise James something, something that was just for them.

"For better or worse … husband, I'm on your side." She whispered.

James tilted his head closer to her face, responding in kind, "For better or worse, wife, I'm on your side too."

Unbeknownst to either of them, the photographer stood at the edge of the park over twenty yards away from them, and had just captured his favourite photo of the entire wedding.

0-0-0-0

The reception itself started out fine, they were introduced by their MC, and were able to sit and talk to their families before their lunches arrived. James' appetite was non-existent but he soldiered on through the perfectly cooked chicken. Lily fared little better with her own dish, but she had the excuse of relatives coming in droves to extend their congratulations and talk to her. Eventually the MC, who was a distant Potter cousin, announced that before the dancing was to commence there was to be a special surprise for the 'happy couple'.

The surprise ended up being a kissing game, in which all the married couples in the room would stand opposite Lily and James on the dance floor one at a time, they would then kiss, and the newlyweds were required to mirror that kiss. As awkward as it started out as being, both Lily and James ended up quite enjoying that game, though they were loath to admit it to themselves, let alone each other.

Lord Cadeus shot a smirk at Lord Farnley, content in the knowledge that Farnley would have to know that the couple's kissing game was his idea, that James and Lily were _definitely_ having fun, and judging by the delighted reaction of the crowd, they bought it. Cadeus caught Farnley's eye, winked and raised his glass in a silent toast before taking a small sip, and grabbing his wife's hand to make the new couple give a show the crowd would love.

0-0-0-0

When the couples had all kissed, and Lily and James were all-kissed-out, the dancing segment of the evening was finally announced. As Lily and James had practiced, they took to the floor first, and began their first dance as a married couple. Their wedding dance being a fusion of the two different family reels, combined into one brand new dance, the old generations recognised their own steps, and that of their enemy's, and recognised the harmony in which Lily and James danced it with. Back and forth they twirled and stepped, her hand in his, and Lily tried very hard to not squeeze the circulation out of James' hand, as nervous as she was. Though they had spent the lead-up for the wedding preparing for such a spectacle, neither was fully prepared for the difficult task of keeping it together throughout.

Once the last notes finished from the fiddles, they bowed to their audience and received a thundering applause in return. James twirled Lily toward him, as practiced and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing a kiss to her forehead, the latter move being improvisation. Lily resisted the urge to poke his ribs in retaliation, instead wrapping her arms about his shoulders and pulling him closer.

As the strings started up again, the sets were formed and for the first time in a generation Potter and Evans took to the floor together.

Lily flagged down a drink bearer and drained a glass, before joining her husband in the closest set of dancers.

At the back of the room, Escalus Riddle grinned as he watched over the gathered crowd, triumphant in the families' temporary truce.

0-0-0-0

The sun had long set by the time the reception was over. The cake had been cut, and bouquet tossed (caught by a shrieking bridesmaid all of about ten) and the two Lords had bowed out of the room with their wives, but not before the ladies bestowed a hug and kiss to their portion of the newlyweds. All the loyal families who swore allegiance to one side or another also took their leave to organise the farewell outside, until a scant few from each side remained to be the first to send off the couple.

James took a good look at Lily, and could see the exhaustion she was trying to hide, before offering his arm to her and turning to face the door that they would shortly exit through.

"A good show today," came a calm, quiet voice from behind them, "best put on a smile and best feet forward from here on in."

They turned to see the Mayor standing a few feet behind them, looking as calm as his words, but infinitely more sinister in the dim light. Saying nothing in response, Lily and James traded a look before turning back to the way they first faced, and stepped in unison to their gathered family outside.

A rain of confetti and rice swamped them from the second they burst through the doors until they reached the car that would chauffer them to their new home. One final kiss from their respective family matriarchs and they were ensconced in the car and driven away from the crowd.

They both let out heavy sighs, and looked out their own window, not bothering to undo their hands.

0-0-0-0

When they arrived at their new house, they were both exhausted and ready to sleep the night away. Lily was too tired to demand that James sleep elsewhere, and recognised that he was even more tired than she. When they were faced with the "who gets the bed?" debacle, Lily pulled back the entire bedspread.

"We're both adults, we're both exhausted beyond belief, and we both know we're _not_ going to have sex. We can share the bed. Saves you sleeping on the couch and me feeling guilty about you getting a sore back from it."

A smirk in reply made Lily's eyes crinkle in amusement, "However I do claim first dibs on the bathroom," She gestured to her dress, "this is more elaborate than your tux."

James mock-bowed and swept his arm toward their bathroom, "By all means, Mrs Potter."

Lily tried to not jolt at her new name, hiding her reaction by shuffling past her new husband, kicking off her shoes and lifting her skirts to get to the bathroom without tripping. She closed the door behind her and set to work on trying to remove her dress. After a few minutes it was obvious that it was a task that proved impossible for the wearer to achieve, so she huffed, and wiped away her makeup instead before pulling her auburn hair from its elaborate bun.

She tried contorting her arms into a position where she could reach the intricate knots high between her shoulder blades, but it did little to help as the cord was still out of reach, even with the vanity mirror as a guide. Her frustration grew as the minutes passed until she growled and huffed and slammed the toilet lid down before sitting on it, her white dress flowing all about her.

A quiet knock and she looked towards the door, "So, are you okay in there?" came James' voice, "Sounds like you're fighting the entire county."

Lily reached over and flicked the handle down, opening the door to the man on the other side. He peeked in curiously, before letting his eye fall on his clearly grumpy wife.

"I can't get it off." She muttered, "My Aunt Gina did the knot when I was getting ready and I didn't realise she made it so bloody complicated."

James was confused, but realised the truth when Lily leant forward to rest her cheeks on her tulle-covered knees. He could see the intricate knot in her dress between her shoulders, and knew that from his boy-scout days that Aunt Gina had done a knot that would take some time to undo.

"Your Aunt's pretty sneaky, physically that's impossible for _you_ to undo without dislocating at least one arm."

Lily breathed out a deep sigh, "Don't make me beg, please."

James laughed quietly, "Stand up then, I swore a vow to be yours in joy and sorrow and you're looking pretty sorrowful at the moment after being stuck in that dress all day."

"I could just sleep in it."

"Turn around Lily and let me help."

"Fine, but don't get any ideas."

"Fine, but don't smother me in my sleep."

A laugh.

Once she had been de-knotted and unlaced, Lily was able breathe properly again, and once she got pyjamas on, tucked herself into her side of the spacious bed. James followed suit a few minutes later, before switching off his lamp and shuffling under the duvet and rested his head on the pillow facing his wife.

"G'night Lily." Came his whisper.

"Goodnight James." Came her reply.

0-0-0-0

When daybreak arrived, James was the first to awake, and quickly realised he was no longer on his side of the bed. During sleep he had apparently decided to snuggle up to his wife and had tucked her under his chin, their arms wrapped around each other in a loose hug. Looking down he could see her dark hair spilling over the pillow, and in the light he could see the smattering of freckles across her nose, and a thin line of dark pink skin still healing cut she got from the bombing.

Deciding that moving then would risk waking Lily and her ire, he stayed where he was, and tried to ignore how comforting it felt to have someone to wake up next to. He snuggled back in to her and closed his eyes, surrendering to sleep once more.

When Lily woke, her first thought was " _warm"_ and for a few moments rubbed her face into the source of the warmth, ignoring the decidedly male smell that came with it. Her next thought was that she should probably move, but when she made to move, her husband's arm wrapped about her waist meant she could do little more than swivel in his hold. Just like the night before, she was tempted to poke him in the ribs, but instead opted to jut her chin up and look at his face instead.

He looked different without his glasses, and the frown line that usually marked his forehead was wiped away in sleep. He didn't snore, which Lily was enormously grateful for, and he seemed to naturally gravitate towards her as much as she had to him. If he had a different surname, and she hadn't spent the entirety of her life learning to hate the one he did have, they could have gotten along just fine.

0-0-0-0

When they both had awoken and dealt with the awkward disentanglement that had followed, James led the way to the kitchen and got to work making breakfast for them whilst Lily made them both cups of tea to start them off. James slid both plates across the breakfast bar to Lily who set them on the dining table for them both. James put the pan in the sink and chose at that moment to look out the window, spotting the person spying on them from a car across the street.

"Looks like you have a distant relative making sure I didn't ravish you too thoroughly last night." He commented offhandedly.

Lily came up behind him and pressed a mug of tea into his hands, sneaking a look at the car and the man within, "That's not an Evans. Anyone from my side would be far better hidden than that. Whoever that is, they're not worried about being caught spying, or being caught by us is the reason they're there in the first place."

James looked sideways at Lily, "What do you mean?"

"Well he's not affiliated with the Evans, and since you don't recognise him, I'd say he's no Potter either. That leaves one very interested party involved in this state of affairs."

"Mayor Escalus?"

"That would make sense; he's gone to pretty serious lengths to make sure we'd comply with this marriage. Sending us another message that we're not free from being watched would be well within his scope of reasonable responses given what he's already done to us."

James snuck his free hand around her waist, and tugged her gently away from the kitchen, "No matter who wants us watched, our breakfast is getting cold. Let's eat before the pancakes go stale."

Lily shot him a troubled look, "Do you seriously not give a damn that we're in a sham of a marriage that has been orchestrated by a politician for his own gain. With no regard for either of us. And you want to prioritise _pancakes?_ "

James let go of her, but not before poking her in the ribs, "Of course I bloody care," he was careful to not let his voice become a hiss, and injected some humour into his tone, "but we're in no immediate danger, and I'd rather not start our sham of a married life with a cold and miserable breakfast."

Lily had to laugh at him for that, so with a scoff they sat down to their first proper meal as a married couple.

0-0-0-0

* * *

End of Chapter 3.

Please review!


End file.
